


There Is No Ignorance

by Lailuva



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Jedi Appreciation, Jedi June, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:21:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24816766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lailuva/pseuds/Lailuva
Summary: Young Padawan Skye Lir and her Master have different ideas on how to proceed with lightsaber training.
Relationships: Original Jedi Character(s) & Jedi Padawan Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	There Is No Ignorance

**Author's Note:**

> For the [Jedi June](https://jedijune.tumblr.com/) prompt "Teaching/Learning."

“Again, Padawan.”

“Yes, Master.” Skye gritted her teeth but couldn’t hide the impatience in the words. She had already run this drill a dozen times today alone, and dozens more before that. Quickly, she squared off against the practice dummy and mindlessly passed through the Soresu forms yet again. She glanced out of the corner of her eye and saw her Master, Derran, was watching her with a critical eye and undisguised disapproval.

She finished the sequence but then turned to face Derran. “Master. I know the basics of Soresu. But I want to study Ataru. How can I learn Ataru if I’m stuck doing Soresu?”

Derran arched an eyebrow and Skye felt her face warm, but she didn’t back down. “I know I was behind in my lightsaber training when I started. But I’m catching up. I can best any of the other Padawans at my training level. I am  _ ready _ for more advanced forms!”

Derran studied her for a moment, her face impassive. “You have been studying the texts on Ataru I gave you?”

“Yes, Master, every day,” said Skye. “And I have been drilling myself during my independent sparring time.” She fidgeted. “After the Soresu you assigned me, of course.”

“Very well.” Derran strode over to the nearby rack of practice sabers and took one before returning to her original position. She raised the saber in a defensive position. “Attack me using Ataru.”

Skye hesitated. She’d never used Ataru yet against another opponent. But this was what she wanted, wasn’t it? She slid into the correct stance and leapt at her Master.

Derran threw the practice saber right in her face. Skye twisted to avoid it, slipped, and fell straight on her rear.

Skye could feel her face burning and bit her tongue against the protests that she  _ did _ know the form, that Derran had just caught her off-guard. But she’d been with her Master for two years by now, and she knew that Derran did not favor conventional teaching methods.

Derran’s boots came into view. Skye dared to look up. Derran smiled and offered her a hand, which she took, and Derran helped her stand and looked her over. “Are you hurt, Skye?”

“No, Master.” Skye stared at the training mat. Her face was still hot and she wasn’t quite ready to meet her Master’s gaze.

“My dear Padawan,” said Derran, brushing a loose lock of hair from Skye’s face. “I know you want to learn Ataru. And you will. But if you truly want to gain that knowledge, you must first banish ignorance.”

Skye glanced up. “Master? But I’m studying the texts, and if you show me -”

“That is only part of it,” said Derran. “The Form itself is not enough. You must know  _ when _ to use it.”

Skye watched Derran step back, picking up the practice saber and stepping through several Ataru moves. “Ataru is very effective against other swordsmen, but what if you are confined to a small space for your battle? What if you’re facing down a dozen Exchange thugs with blasters? You will have to augment with other forms - such as Soresu, a defensive style that is more easily adaptable for the type of fights we are likely to face while out in the galaxy.” Derran turned and gave her a wry smile. “It will be very difficult to learn Ataru if you choose the wrong form at the wrong time and do not return from your mission.”

Skye considered it. Derran did have a point. “I think I understand, Master. But how will I know when to use what?”

“You must trust in yourself, and your connection to the Force,” said Derran. “Study every Form you can, Padawan. Find which ones suit you and which ones are difficult. The Forms can be learned from practice, but you must craft your own way of using them.”

Skye considered, nodding. “There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.”

“Correct. Knowledge can be read, absorbed, created, but without ignorance being banished from oneself with every step, it cannot be truly used.” Derran stepped away and resumed her original position. “The Soresu, again, Skye, and this time think of how you can use it in the field, not just the positions themselves.”

“Yes, Master,” said Skye, facing off against the practice dummy.

“And after this, I promise to give you a real chance to show off what you’ve learned about Ataru so far,” added Derran.

Skye couldn’t help her grin. “Yes, Master,” she said, before attacking the practice dummy with her best Soresu move yet.


End file.
